Exobiology: UFOs: Those Unknowns

Exobiology was the original term given to the sciences central to the question of life-in-the-Universe. It’s now been largely replaced by Astrobiology, but I’ll stick with the original. Assuming one or more extraterrestrial civilizations with advanced, interstellar spaceflight capability exists; then they know about Planet Earth. Say ‘hi’ to those pesky UFOs. The bona fide UFOs are UFOs that remain UFOs even after the experts have finished their analysis. That residue still amounts to a heck of a lot of unknowns.

The fact, as most sceptics readily acknowledge, is that between 5 and 10 percent of all reported UFO incidents remain unidentified after investigation by those qualified to do so. Since the number of reported and investigated UFO events now number in the many tens of thousands (100,000 worldwide wouldn’t be an out of the ballpark figure), even restricting events to those investigated by official government and/or military agencies, that’s still 5,000 to 10,000 bona-fide unknowns. It only takes one of those unknowns to clinch the UFO extraterrestrial hypothesis.

This fact apparently excites the scientific, astrobiology, and SETI communities not one jot. But, as noted in a separate essay, if SETI received out of all radio signals, 5% to 10% unexplained radio signals, (“WOW” signals), that of course would set the SETI community abuzz.

In a similar vein, if 5 to 10 percent of particle interactions were unexplainable by the current standard model of particle physics, that would set the physics community abuzz without question.

If the speed of light varied ever so slightly 5% to 10% of the times it were measured, the special relativity community would be agog, and extremely interested would be an understatement.

If 5 to 10 percent of galaxies showed a discrepancy between their red-shifts and their distances, that would set the cosmology community abuzz.  

If the medical profession didn’t have a clue what 5% to 10% of their patient’s ailments were, there would be hell to pay over the training of MDs.

If your prescription or over-the-counter medicine didn’t work 5% to 10% of the time, you’d want a refund.

If 5% to 10% of the time your plumber, electrician, TV/laundry/dishwasher repairman couldn’t figure out what the problem was, you’d be a mighty unhappy customer.

So, why the big scientific yawn over the apparently bona fide UFO’s unidentified percentage? Perhaps it might take sociologists who study the sociology of science to pin that one down. There’s a mystery just begging for serious attention here that has the potential for massive ramifications, not just scientific ones.